This is a little embarrassing, but I need some advice. I built the cabinets for my kitchen and put the face frames and side panels up before getting the finish put on them. They have been up for over a year while I procrastinated and worked on other projects. My wife is a dedicated home cook and, despite use of the range hood, they have been exposed to a year's worth of cooking grease. It is finally time to put the finish on and I am wondering about the best way to clean them first. The face frames are hard maple and the side panels are mdf. The finish is a primer and catalyzed paint that will be sprayed. I am hiring out the finishing and I don't recall the name of the primer and paint, but they are an italian product and the finish color is a dark blue.

I sanded the pieces before putting them up, but they'll need to be sanded with 180 or 220 again. I worry that if I sand them without doing anything else first, I won't remove the grease. I've considered using a card scraper on the face frames before sanding, but that isn't a good option on the mdf side panels. I could remake those, if necessary, if there isn't a better option.

Finally, the question: Can you suggest a solvent, soap, or other cleaner that would remove the grease before sanding and not interfere with finishing? Any help is appreciated!